Thursday, June 28, 2012

Excursion!

We are going to see Brave after lunch. Lookin' forward to this one!


I like my job.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

'To Lead'

In What's The Difference, Piper expands on the 'to lead' bit of his 'mature masculinity' definition, by giving some qualifying statements to avoid misinterpretation of the word. He expands on all of these, but here are the 9 statements he makes. Some of them might be tricky to get the jist of without reaading what he goes on to say about each point, but for what it's worth, here they are-

'1. Mature masculinity expresses itself not in the demand to be served, but in the strength to serve and to sacrifice for the good of woman.

2. Mature masculinity does not assume the authority of Christ over woman, but advocates it.

3. Mature masculinity does not presume superiority, but mobilises the strengths of others.

4. Mature masculinity does not have to initiate every action, but feels the responsibility to provide a general pattern of innitiative.

5. Mature masculinity accepts the burden of the final say in disagreements between husband and wife, but does not presume to use it in every instance.

6. Mature masculinity expresses its leadership in romantic sexual relations by communicating an aura of strong and tender pursuit.

7. Mature masculinity expresses itself in a family by taking the initiative in disciplining the children when both parents are present and a family standard has been broken.

8. Mature masculinity is sensitive to cultural expressions of masculinity and adapts to them (where no sin is involved) in order to communicate to a woman that a man would like to relate not in any aggressive or perverted way, but with maturity and dignity as a man.

9. Mature masculinity recognises that the call to leadership is a call to repentance and humility and risk-taking.'

Well, there you go. I'm guessing you might find some of those quite easy to discount, but I reckon it's at least thinking through each one of these, and the implications they would have.

If you are gluttons for punishment, here are two talks that Piper gave in 2007, that expand on his views on leadership.  I actually think they are great talks. The premise is that as a leader, a man is to be 'lion-hearted' and 'lamb-like' at the same time, as Jesus was.

I love this picture of leadership and headship, because it isn't saying 'I'm the boss', it's saying 'I'm taking the innitiative to serve you'.  A good illustration that Piper gives, is Jesus washing the disciples feet. That was pure service, yet He innitiated it, and there would not have been doubt in any body's mind at that moment who the leader was there. 

Monday, June 25, 2012

The Quiz

1. How long do you suppose this weekly quiz can go on for?
2. Something you don't miss about adolescence
3. Something you do
4. Your ultimate TV comedy
5. Your ultimate TV drama

Random Lessons Learnt From The Weekend

1. Koorong is a long way away
2. The kids are too young for putt putt golf
3. Dad is too impatient for putt putt golf
4. Grocery shopping as a family can be fun
5. If you plan to do 5 little things in an afternoon, you'll realistically complete 3 at the most

Friday, June 22, 2012

So, This Is The Book


A short little book John Piper wrote in 1990. I'll post about it as I read it.

This seems to sum up the gist of it--

'The tendency today is to stress the equality of men and women by minimising the unique significance of our maleness or femaleness. But this depreciation of male and female personhood is a great loss. It is taking a tremendous toll on generations of young men and women who do not know what it means to be a man or a woman. Confusion over the meaning of sexual personhood today is epidemic.

The consequence of this confusion is not a free and happy harmony among gender-free persons relating on the basis of abstract competencies. The consequence rather is more divorce, more homosexuality, more sexual abuse, more promiscuity, more social awkwardness, and more emotional distress and suicide that come with the loss of God-given identity'.

Mature Masculinity and Femininity


Have a read of these two statements--

  • At the heart of mature masculinity is a sense of benevolent responsibility to lead, provide for and protect women in ways appropriate to a man's differing relationships.

  • At the heart of mature femininity is a freeing disposition to affirm, receive and nurture strength and leadership from worthy men in ways appropriate to a woman's differing relationships.

They are from a little book I'm reading, which I'll post more on soon. But without worrying about who wrote it, or when and why, what are your initial reactions? Do you agree? Have reservations? Find these definitions irksome?

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

You?

Have you ever noticed that people's profile pictures don't really look like them? Or at least, not quite the 'them' that we see? That slightly socially awkward person suddenly is looking all cool and brazen, with a smokey and pensive gleam in their eye? (WARNING: Do NOT glance to the right of this post, you will see nothing of this sort) These are usually pictures that people have taken of themselves. If I had time, I'd write a very comprehensive thesis on this fascinating subject, but for now, a short dopey blog post will suffice.

Let me let you in on a little secret. The expressions and angles that you see in people's self-taken profile pictures, are the poses that these people strike in the mirror behind a locked bathroom door.  They know the exact angle where they look the best. I know you are feeling uncomfortable, and want to distance yourself from this Hard-Hitting Truth, but deep down you know it's true. It's true for me also.

When I see pictures of myself, I often recoil, and think, oh man do I really look like that? With that big hanging over Gonzo nose? That vulture posture? Photos that other people take of you are a great way of bringing you down a peg or two.  And yet, when other people see those horrid pictures of you, they don't bat an eyelid, because that's the you they see all the time. 

No, it's the pictures that you take of yourself that people stop and bat the lids at. They are silently thinking, who the heck is that? Since when did you start pouting? Maybe this is all a waste of breath about something unimportant (er... unlike the rest of this blog..) I just think it's an interesting little thing, the way our profile pictures disclose the way we would like to be seen, and the way that often comes as a surprise to the onlooker.

PS. If my profile picture mysteriously changes in the near future to something less smokey and pensive, it is totally a coincidence, with nothing at all to do with this post.

Maybe My Favourite Joke Ever

"My wife's gone to the West Indies."
"Jamaica?"
"No, she went of her own accord"

Afronted By A Font

Disconcertingly, my blog often loads with the blog heading and post titles in (shudder) Comic Sans (I apologise for the foul language).

Gosh, Blogger, why not just slap my face and insult my family next time.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Message Hording

The other day I finally worked out how to delete the text message inbox on my phone. This may sound like a trivial matter, but I had racked up 3201 messages in that bad boy. I could only work out how to delete one at a time, and I could never be bothered doing that. So, if I received a message, and I clicked to open it, I could go for a jog around the block, shower, shave and have a quiet cuppa before said message actually came up on the screen.

There were messages in there from friends celebrating the birth of their child, who has now just completed their Masters at university. I even found one in there from a mate letting me know WWII was over. deleting all that history was strangely exhilarating. I'm now text loose and fancy free.

Who knew that you would actually find help by clicking on that thing in the menu labelled 'help'.

The Child That Created His Own Mother

Little e asked me another doozie the other night: 'Did Jesus make Mary, or did Mary make Jesus?'

It amazes me the interesting places her mind goes. She's certainly a thinker. I guess I'd say that in some respects both are true. But explaining that to a five year old is hard going.

Monday, June 18, 2012

News From Home

Just got a message to say that Little i has just given herself a fringe. Taking after her dad in the DIY stakes.

The Quiz

1. Something you'd like to learn to be really, really good at
2. An undone task that's likely to hang over your head and make you angsty
3. If you were to go on a quiz show, what would be your niche area of expertise?
4. Something you hate touching
5. A strenuous activity that relaxes you. And that you enjoy.

Coming To A Dinner Table Near You

A couple of new words were invented at my place last night-

1) Snackcident. When you accidentally drop some of your food on the floor, and Buddy comes along to take advantage of the drop.

2) Smackcident. When you drop food on the floor on purpose.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

BIG Week At Work

I'll be back when the dust settles.

Friday, June 8, 2012

Carparkolypse Now

Late last night after the movie, after saying goodbye to my friend, I went into the shopping centre carpark in search of my car.  There was this eery vibe, heightened by coming straight from Prometheus-land, and by the fact that I'd never been there before, and also by the fact that the huge caverness place was deserted and all the exits apparently locked up for the night.

When I found my car I ran to it excitedly, but then once inside I realised I had no idea how to get out of the place.  Every exit I found was closed. I drove up and down several levels, just getting more lost and panicky.  At one point I drove down one of those really long, super steep ramps, only to come to a a big closed shutter door at street level. I think I yelped. I then had to try and reverse all the way back up to the top again. Barrel o' laughs!

I don't think anyone has ever been as happy as I was to finally arrive, after may failed attempts,  on to a  grubby old back street of Hurstville.

Prometheus- A Review of Sorts

Very much enjoyed Prometheus, I thought it was really cool. I'm not a huge sci-fi guy, but like the genre if it's done really well.  I thought this held up really well, and it just felt like a classic straight away- a good third Ridley Scott sci-fi movie to go with Alien and Blade Runner.

To be honest, I found a fair bit of it kinda confusing, but it still held my attention.  The general look of the movie was fantastic. It never felt CG, but always had a tangible realness to it, so you really got caught up in the whole setting of the thing. Great production design throughout.

For the most part, really good acters and characters, bar a few here and there.  Micheal Fassbender as the android 'David' was awesome. He's fast becoming one of my favourite actors.  And Noomi Rapace as the lead was really good too.

A lot could be said about the films' 'message', about all the so-called unanswered questions of where we come from and who made us.  My guess is some people will take it all a bit too seriously.  But I just thought it was an interesting premise, and in the end it's science fiction.

Not really a horror movie (drats), but a lot of haunting and creepy bits. the H.R. Giger design elements were still very much present from the Alien movies, but expanded on in a cool way.  I really loved the look of all the designed elements. Great stuff.  

While I do have a tendency to come out of a movie thinking it was great, but then sort of going cold on it, while this is fresh in my mind, I'm sticking to my original verdict: Very cool. 4/5 

Busker

I work in North Sydney, which frankly is a place without a lot of..ahem..soul.  When people aren't there for work, it's pretty much a ghost town. There's not a lot of interest or culture, just a lot of business and busyness.

So, I was pretty delighted this morning to walk out of the station to find a busker.  In North Sydney. Seriously.  Certainly makes a nice change from ten people trying to force Priceline pamphlets into your hands, or try and get you to sign up to Fitness First.

He was a young guy with a guitar and harmonica knocking out some Bob Dylan songs, and he was actually really good. He was standing in a busy spot, competing with lots of people, and noisy busses pulling in, but his voice was strong and clear enough to cut through all the hubbub. I stuck around for The Times They Are A'Changin' and All Along The Watchtower, and only left because my bus pulled in. The lyrics were making a lot of sense to me in that time and place, and I was said to leave.

Thanks, busker guy, you made my morning.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Prometheus


Me and a mate are going to see this tonight. I'm pumped.

Death By P.D.A.

I had Mr and Mrs Kissalot sitting behind me on the train this morning.  They were so loved-up that I nearly had to change carriages. 

There were a whole lot of tender murmurings, and playful whispers steaming up the place, and try as I might to separate soul from body, and go to my happy place, I kept getting sweet-nothinged in the back of the head.

It wasn't cool.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Soul Carried To Heaven
William-Adolphe Bouguereau

Soul?

On the weekend Little e asked me what a 'soul' was. Geez, can you not wait until your mother gets back before you ask the hard ones?  It came about because this song had been on high rotation in the car.  I was pretty stumped, and stumbled around trying to find an answer.  The best I could come up with at short notice was that 'it's a bit like your heart'.  I know, lame.

Having now had longer to think it through I think I could find a better answer. What would be your answer to the question, and how would you put it in words that a 5 year old would get?

I just typed 'soul' into Bible Gateway, and it came up with 95 results. The majority of the Old Testament examples are used in conjunction with 'heart', almost always about loving and following God with 'all your heart and with all your soul'.  The examples from Job talk about the 'bitterness of soul'.

Then you get to Psalms, where the word occurs a lot, and it really seems to refer to a persons' inmost being, their essence, the part that only God sees.  Sometimes it's the souls' anguish, sometimes it's the souls' joy.  Also interesting is the way the psalmist talks to his soul, almost like it were a separate entity to be encouraged, comforted and cared for--

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (Psalm 42:10-11)

And then Jesus refers to the soul a lot too, again as the inmost part of a person, but also as the immortal part of a persons' being. Some of Jesus' hardest hitting words seem to be in the context of the discussion of our souls--

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)

What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? (Matthew 16:26)

But also some of His most comforting words as well--

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:29)

He also said these heart-breaking words about His own soul--

My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death (Matthew 26:38)

The New Testament continues with some other pretty interesting contexts for 'soul'.  The word of God, the Bible, is described as being 'sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit' (Hebrews 4:12)

And one of my favourites,

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. (Hebrews 6:19)

Finally, you get to Revelations, and we hear about the 'souls' of those who have died and face Jesus-

And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)

Pretty interesting, I reckon. Were I to answer the question now, I'd describe the soul as the most inner, centre part of a person, their core, and their essence. Also the part that feels things the deepest. And as the immortal part that is invited to spend eternity with God.

Speech Diary

It's been over a year since I did one of these posts. To be honest I've been feeling very low about my speech for the past few months, it seems to have just worsened and worsened.  Severe stuttering whenever I open my mouth.  It's very disheartening, and hard to work up any enthusiasm or drive to work on it, or make the effort to drive over to Toastmasters.

I think one reason why I like to just stay home and keep to myself is basically so I don't have to talk and embarrass myself.  It seems like every day is another opportunity to go out there and feel crap about myself in front of someone.  If it's a stranger, I feel like a goose, and if it's a friend, I feel like they are thinking 'oh man, didn't you have all that intensive therapy, like three years ago? What's going on? Why are you still doing that'.  Not good thoughts, I know.

But I don't want to be so negative. I know that that sort of thinking is totally counter productive. And I know I have so many blessings from God, I shouldn't be so laid low by just one aspect in my life.  It's tough to find that perspective though sometimes.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Quick Confession

I am saddened and ashamed to admit that I have become one of those gross people who walks around covered in animal hair, interacting in society as though this was an acceptable state to be seen in. But seriously, you brush and brush and you can't get the stuff off.

I look like I've been showered with the eye lashes of a hundred old men. Naaaassty.

Quick Observation

I was quite surprised at how quickly my countenance changed as soon as E got home the other night, after being away for a couple of days. Unpleasantly surprised. It was like I subconsciously thought 'phew, she's home, I can clock off now', and even though I didn't consciously decide to, I sort of went all quiet and exhausted all of a sudden, uncommunicative and done with parenting for the night.

It struck me that that might be a similar sort of sensation that stay at home mum's might feel when dad gets home from work (or vice versa if roles are reversed). I've had the kids for the day, your turn now!  I think it's quite a tough time of the day, because that is in some ways pretty valid. But the other side of the coin is dad getting home tired and angsty after a day at work and battling public transport.  It's totally his responsibility to find another gear when he gets home, to be a loving husband and parent, but the transition is not always that easy.

So I suppose it's one of those points of the day where the two parents are meeting each other from very different directions, and some sort of mutual understanding needs to be found. E does a great job of this, she makes a big effort to not 'clock off', and I really appreciate that. More so after last weekend.

Quick Question

Hey, see up the top of the page here where it has the Vanishing Point title? Is there a semi-transparent strip of white behind the text? There's supposed to be, but when I look at it on my home pyoota the strip's not there, and it's much harder to read the title.

Sorry for the boring posts about format junk.

Monday, June 4, 2012

Bubble Bubble, Toil and Trouble

It seems unfortunate to me that the 'art and/or science of food eating' is called gastronomy.  In these heady days of reality tele cooking shows, where preparing and eating food has become something to amaze over and cry about, the G word is uttered with great profundity and reverence.

But as a word, come on, it's pretty gross. Any word that begins with 'gastro', in my book, can't be that good. Rather than inspiring me to aquire a fancy cook book, it inspires me to stock up on a 9 pack of 3 ply.

The Quiz

1. An impressive skill you have, that few get to witness
2. Something you learnt at school that had a lasting impact
3. Something that didn't
4. I am so quick to forget..
5. Today is good because..

Another Brief Debrief

Day 2 and 3 of the weekend went pretty well, apart from a few lows here and there-- mainly taking place in that time-slot between 4pm and 7pm, where there's lots to do, the kids are being annoying, and you are tired and short-tempered.

I wish I could go back and redo those bits, but apart from that, it all went pretty well. It was really nice to have that intensive time with the kids.  It was kind of empowering actually. It was great to have E back last night though, good to be all together again.

Brand My Ego

Great post by Deb..

"..taking a realistic view of the glamorous, photo-shopped pictures of families enjoying elaborate craft activities before involving themselves happily in unstructured, but environmentally sound, free-play while wearing stunning home-sewn outfits. Lovely photos. But it does make your own family feel like grotty freaks from the Planet Whingey."

Gold.


Friday, June 1, 2012

Day 1 Debrief

Boy. All tuckered out and it's only 7:45pm. The day has been pretty good-- after taking Little e to preschool, me and Little i had a good time going for a walk, then to the library, and then to a cafe for lunch.  Things degenerated a bit in the late arvo and evening. We wewre all a bit tired and grouchy, and I was losing my cool more much more than I should.  Anyway, something to work on tomorrow.


Cooked up a whole snapper for dinner with prawns, chips and salad. That was some good eating, and we watched Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium for movie night.  Kids are now in bed, but not asleep. Gonna kick back now in front of the footy with a cuppa.  Have a nice weekend, friends.